Ready Aim Forget
by AhmetOzgean
Summary: What if all the information you owned yesterday about yourself and your loved ones suddenly gets stolen by a thief today? He is no common evil-doer for his playing ground is a human's mind... Memories are his aim, and he always gets what he wants. Beware.
1. Prologue

Gazing at the mirror in front of me, I saw only a beam of light being cast upon my very essence. Shadows made lonely company as they surrounded everything untouched by the rays of the sun. In the mirror there was this silly little thing called me with skin, hair and flesh. A small gleam glimmered in the middle of my brown irises when I looked around. This spark slowly faded away with the blink of an eye. Although this action took less than a second, I felt like it's been years. Regaining vision, the reflection inside the mirror changed... The person was taller and had facial hair. I stepped closer to see if it was truly me. Every time I moved, so did he, every time I stopped, so did he.

What's going on? Thoughts like that crossed my mind as I stood still and examined the mirror. Nothing seemed peculiar with it. Something was definitely strange in the very air that surrounded me. Occasionally, I felt my whole body being pumped with energy, sometimes positive, sometimes negative, the source being the inside of my rib cage.

Not too much 'time', if such thing exists there, has passed that it came again: the blinking. This action did not match the first one, as it took less than a second. When my sight reestablished, I noticed the mirror was no longer in front of me, but rather at my right. I spotted it with the corner of my eye. I turned towards it wondering how that was possible and how I could escape that place of uncertainty. Gazing once more in the mirror, the reflection was no longer a person I knew, but rather a dark silhouette, like a shadow. From behind him, two women came - I could tell by their clothes and long hair. One's face was smiling brightly and radiated of happiness and the other was basically the total opposite. They approached slowly, steadily, not to scare or startle him. The smiley face one embraced the shadow from behind while her companion placed a mask over his so called face. Right then, two crimson eyes and a mouth materialized in the holes of the disguise and the whole body started glowing in a bloody aura. The air was getting heavier to breathe. I was barely restraining myself from blinking, afraid something bad was going to happen if I were to do so. Silence emerged from nowhere and I was starting to get nervous, the only things audible were the sound of my heartbeats growing faster and the air gushing from my nostrils.

Suddenly, the woman released that thing from her brace and it started moving. He was increasing in size. Coming closer and closer, the mirror was just like a window between two rooms with him wanting to say "Hi, neighbor." A few more steps made, and he walked out of it, outside the mirror. I tried to move, to run from it, but my body did not respond. I attempted to scream for help and the same thing happened. In the meantime, it was getting closer step after step after step ...until it was standing right in front of me. Its hand reached my face, the moment those two made contact...I immediately woke up in my bed. Without realizing, I got up and my whole body was sweating. After a few seconds, I figured out it was just a dream and made a sound of relief.

"Damn, that was intense! Ha ha." I said, "Could use this for my new book. Oh my, it will be so good! I will have to thank Chuck for letting me stay here, I never get such dreams when I'm sleeping with Ariana."

Afterwards, I wiped off the sweat from my face with a napkin, placed next to the bed, and went back to sleep as the sun wasn't out yet. "Good night!"


	2. Chapter One - A Castle Named Amnesia

**_I don't know where I'm at or who I am_**

 ** _To remember I try, sitting as a lamb_**

 ** _A mystery it all persist to be,_**

 ** _Right now I don't even exist to me._**

When regaining consciousness, I laid on a bed in a medieval decorated room. I got up and out of the room, ending up in a hallway with various portraits hanging on the walls, of men in a royal uniform. Some were riding a white horse while holding a flag.

"I think I'm in an old castle, but why?" passed through my mind. Walking down the hallway, I saw many empty rooms, assuming to be where the servants stayed. After a few more steps, I reached the end of the hallway where there were two staircases: one going to an upper level and the other to a lower level. I took the one that went upwards. Torches were placed from side to side every three steps. The smell of smoke was spreading all across the way.

On the higher level there were no portraits like before, just an empty hallway that led me to a place called 'The Royal Room'. Its furniture consisted in one bed, a nightstand next to it, two wardrobes and a closet. One large knotted pile carpet was covering the floor. I saw a big portrait of a man probably in his 40s with a very determined look. His wardrobe inspired royalty, might, and it was somewhat similar to the one others wore. In there was also an old plate armor right next to the balcony which I thought belonged to him. There was nothing that could remind me of myself so I left the upper level with disappointment. Afterwards, I went down the staircase and kept on going until reaching its end.

That floor was much more complex than the other two levels as it consisted of large rooms such as 'The Great Hall' and a kitchen. (The man walked around the lower level, in hope to find something, anything, that could tell him his identity. He went to the chapel, stepped in the kitchen and explored The Great Hall, but nothing of that sort was there. A feeling of angst and slight depression engulfed him for he searched so much the answers to his questions, but got nothing except silence in return.)

When turning around to gaze once more upon the big room, I managed to hit a candelabrum by accident with my elbow and it fell on the floor. Strange noises occupied the room afterwards. They mechanically vibrated then turned in sounds of rocks polished against others of their kind. I looked across the place to see where it originated from. Turned my head to the left, but nothing seemed unusual. Turned my head to the right, that was when I saw a fragment of the wall moving. I went closer to see what was after it. "It's only a staircase going down." When placing one foot on the staircase, bats flew hastily towards my face and I panicked. My arms moved in all directions almost by themselves to protect me and screams gushed from my throat in an attempt to scare them. Accidentally, my left arm hit one of the bats and it flew back down. The others followed him shortly after. I calmed down when the bats screamed and squeaked no more. I took a few steps on the staircase and this time strange sounds were released, something similar to "Get out." In a slow, steady tone.

It's a warning sent by someone down there. I thought.

On one of the walls were written the words Death, Damnation and Dark Dungeon in blood. That place was too scary for me to explore right then. "You know what? I didn't check the servants' rooms…I-I'd better go and take a look." was my idea. And so I did. That place was truly too fearsome for me to explore alone.

I left the lower level and returned to the one I first woke up in. I searched every room thoroughly, inspected the front and back sides of every portrait placed there, but nothing was found about myself. I let out a moan as I felt a headache building up. My decision was to go fall asleep in the initial room I woke up to make it go away. The chamber made a perfect positioning since it was placed in the "middle" of the castle and had easy access to any chamber from there.

(Two days have passed since the staircase incident and the amnesiac grew more determined to check its insides) I finally took the courage to peak in the dungeon, the only place unexplored. As I walked down the staircase, the wind blew softly in my ears as if it was trying to whisper something. The torches placed on the sideways were ardent and the flames' movements were dictated by it. Paying attention to such minor details, I started feeling paranoid and uncomfortable, similar to the feeling of a pair of eyes watching me go towards the place. My hands were clenched in the form of fists and each breath got heavier and heavier. Sometimes I looked behind to be sure of my loneliness. After a minute of walking, I was there, standing in front of a cell. From behind the bars, I saw the slime, rats and fungus that occupied the chamber. In the cellar nearby, the entrance wasn't locked and the door was wide open. I could hear a few bats in there. "That's where they came from then." was my thought. (Yet those weren't the worst things there to be seen. This dungeon was used to imprison those who betrayed their king - that person portrayed in the Royal Room.)

The lock was old and rusty so it was easy to open it and to go inside. I took a torch from the staircase and hoped for the best as I entered the dark dungeon. Inside there were 2 corpses, each chained to a different pillar. Both of the bodies were rotten for some time and the only thing they kept alive was the face of despair made by what once was called human in its last living moments. I stood still for a few seconds, engulfed in the feeling of fear. My body just froze and I dared not to make a sound. "What did these men experience to die with such terrifying expressions?" That thought rang though my head. A squirrel came through the window's bars, curious of the room it just entered. It was holding in it's tail, a silver plate with something engraved on it. I slowly walked towards it to see what was it. As soon as it saw me, the animal acted like we were long lost friends, climbing on my shoulder and rubbing her head against my shirt. "What a friendly squirrel." I thought smiling, almost forgetting the terrified corpses still near me.

I could have easily read what was written on the silver plate from that distance. It consisted of only a name: ARIANA. When reading that, immediately an image of a woman came in my mind. Her hair was black and long, as if the night itself originated from it. Her eyes were unusual because the irises were colored in a brown pigment that faded towards the margins in a greener shade. The forehead was neither small nor big. Her nose and lips were thin...She was beautiful. I felt comfort and joy while visualizing her. "Who is she? What does she represent to me? How can I find her?" And many more questions came in my mind. "Well, at least I found out something. And it's all thanks to you, little one." I said towards the squirrel and patted her head, "Care to join me in an adventure?" I asked. She made some noises that I took as the answer of confirmation. She wasn't a human being, but she was the best companion I found there next to the bats. We left the dungeon shortly after. On our way back, the staircase didn't seem to be as frightening as before. "Let's get you something to eat." I told her.

(As the days passed, the amnesic man went often outside the castle, in the garden. It looked like a little piece of Paradise to him. The flowers' perfume, the majestic apple tree and the occasional singing birds were the elements that most caught his attention during his walks.)

I discovered in the garden, a barn with one horse shoe placed on top of the entrance. "This must be where they kept their horses." was my first thought when I went inside it. Nothing too interesting was seen, just some stalls, a few empty bags and gardening tools. The squirrel was playing in the tree with birds, sometimes taking breaks to bite a leaf. The animal seemed a little sad that she couldn't follow the birds every time they flew away from her.

"I think we've had enough today." I thought while approaching the tree to get her. A thunder followed by raindrops came from the sky as a sign for us to go back in the castle, and so we did. It started to rain heavily quickly after.

Some time has passed and I heard a knocking at the entrance door. I went to see who was there. When I opened it, there was a woman, a man and a child standing in front of the door. The woman said"Excuse me, sir. Could we stay in here until the rain stops?" The man continued her saying, "Our car broke and we need a place to stay. As soon as the raining stops I'll start fixing it and we'll go on to the next town, mister. Please." Said the man. I thought about it for a second and gave them my answer.

"Of course, I could use some company. Come in! You can stay as long as you want to." They thanked me and came inside. The two were relieved to hear this answer.

After I showed them their rooms and gave them a change of clothes I asked if they wanted to get a tour of the castle. "Thank you, sir. You are very kind." said the woman. "My name is Hyacinth. This man is Bruce and this cute little boy here is Johnny."

"Hey! I'm not a little boy! I'll turn 14 next month, sis." replied the boy hasty. "I don't care. You'll always be my cute little brother." She playfully mocked while patting his head and, of course, the boy wasn't happy. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you" I told them. "So if you two are siblings, then what are you, Bruce? A friend?". (He wanted to answer, but Hyacinth was ahead of him) "Actually, we aren't siblings. Johnny's parents died when he was very young and since then I have been like an older sister to him. As for Bruce, he is my boyfriend" (She then placed her hand over Johnny's shoulder and said "Sorry if I said too much, but I feel like I can trust this man") "This reminds me, you didn't tell us your name, mister" said Bruce. "Well, I wish I knew it myself. I don't remember anything about my past...I don't even know why I am in this castle"

(And so, the man spoke about what happened to him from the first day he woke up in the castle to the moment they met at the request of his guests) "Wow, that's sad, sir" said Hyacinth,"And that's all you found out up until now?"

"Yes, it's all thanks to my little fellow". While I said that, I clapped and the squirrel immediately jumped on my shoulder. "It's so cute! This is the first time I see a squirrel!" said Hyacinth,"I wish we could take a break from all the traveling and settle in a nice place" (She went closer to Bruce and embraced him, while placing her head on his chest) "So you travel often? You could rent a place until you find a house" I responded. "It's not that easy, mister" said Bruce, "You see, the three of us work at a circus. I'm a lion tamer, Hyacinth is an acrobat and a contortionist and Johnny juggles. Our circus travels all around the world and we have to go with it. We would have quit a long time ago if our passion for it wasn't so intense"

"Understandable. Then, I'm happy that you're doing what you like" ("Darling, I have an idea" said Hyacinth, then turned to the amnesiac) "Sir, would you like to come with us? As Bruce stated earlier, our circus travels all around the world. There's a chance you might meet the woman you saw. And if that happens, you could talk to her and find out more. Maybe she's your sister or girlfriend. She has to know something". "You're willing to let me come with you? I…I don't know what to say…." was my answer with a surprised face. "Just say yes, sir! It's the least we can do for the generosity you showed us!" She quickly argued. I thought about it and replied to their offer "Thank you for your help. First I got some much needed interaction with human beings and now this…I accept! When the rain will stop, Bruce will fix the car and I'll go get some of my stuff. Until then, let me show you around. This castle is huge. I'm sure you'll like it."

(The protagonist guided them through the first level, where the kitchen was, towards the second level, where their rooms were, including his, and finally to the third level where they saw "The Royal Room". It was almost like they were at a museum. As enthusiast as he was, the man avoided to show them the dungeon for Johnny's sake, he didn't want to give him a scare. The day came to an end and they went to sleep, each optimistic for their departure)

The night passed, morning came. The rain had stopped and the sun started to rise up in the sky. Rays of light and heat escaped through the bars of the chambers, birds sang rhapsodies to the season. Bruce went to the car to fix it. In the meantime, the amnesiac took two empty bags from the barn and filled them with apples, a few leaves from the apple tree and a bouquet of flowers. In one of them he placed a spare of clothes in case he needed to change and the silver plate he took from the squirrel) "Oh! I know why we stopped. This little thing was making the engine...There! All set, Hyacinth. Where is that man?". "He said he'll pick up a few things and come as quickly as he can" She answered.

"Guys, guys!" I shouted while rushing at them with my baggages, stopping in front of them to catch my breath. "How's the car? Did you fix it? Can we go?". "Yes, we can go right now if you are ready. The rest of the crew must be waiting for us at the next town worried" He answered. When hearing that I told him we shouldn't waste time. "Sir, if you'll find that woman and talk to her, tell us what you found out. I'm curious of the outcome. If you'll need help don't hesitate to ask. From now on, we are friends" stated Hyacinth. "Of course I will!" I answered. Afterwards, we left the castle and went on towards the next town.


	3. Chapter Two - Welcome to the Show

**_I feel like a freak, this world is a circus_**

 ** _Just trying to find myself and my purpose_**

 ** _But nothing's much sadder than tears of a clown_**

 ** _When there's much less than no one around_**

We arrived at noon in the town. There weren't too many people walking outside. Most of them stayed indoors occupying their time by reading books or watching television. I could observe them through their houses' windows. (He was excited and thrilled to see so many people after spending days alone in the castle and felt fascinated by such activities). As we passed by several houses, I saw a woman standing in front of a dark blue tent decorated with various simbols. The woman was wearing a black robe and had a hood on to cover most of her face. I could only see a few locks of grey hair hanging down.

"You're looking for a black-haired woman with strange eyes. Am I wrong?" She said as I was passing in front of her. When hearing that, I stopped moving. The other three weren't paying much attention as they were talking about how they could improve their performances. I questioned myself surprised by what she said. "How did she find out? Does she know where I can find her? Can she tell me who I am?" whispered my little grey cells.

"How did you know that?" I asked. "It's a fortune teller's job to know her clients' concerns" she replied, "I can tell you more, but you'll have to come in my tent first". "O…Ok. Hold on" I said, then ran to my friends who were continuing their walk and told them to go on without me, that I would catch up. Bruce told me where the circus was just in case I would lost their tracks, right next to the library.

Afterwards, I joined the woman inside her tent. She took her hood off and told me to sit at the table. One thing caught my attention: the uniqueness of her eyes. The right was brown and the left, green. They seemed lifeless, like everything there was to be seen passed in front of them. In the middle of the table there was a deck of cards with an unusual back drawing. (In the middle of the card back there was a hexagram with three circles inside. Around it there were 12 different circles each containing a zodiacal sign. In the background there were criss-crossed lines colored in violet and yellow)

"Since you aren't from around here I'll explain to you the process. You see these? They aren't ordinary playing cards. They are known as Tarot cards. Divided in Major Arcanes and Minor Arcanes, I will use them to read your past, present and future. Shall we?" she asked. "Yes, please. Do whatever you need to do. I'm curious of your sayings." I answered. "Ok." She shuffled the cards then spread them all across the table. She closed her eyes and slowly moved one hand towards some of them. In this time I could see a part of the bracelet she was wearing. I could only see "NA" written on it since the rest was covered by her robe. She picked up 3 cards and asked me to collect the rest, then place them back in the deck.

"I'll start with this one: The Magician. This card represents your past. It tells me that you were a very creative person with self confidence and originality and that something happened to you, changing your state of mind...the amnesia.

The next one is: The Wheel of Fortune, this card represents your present. You are now changing, evolving to a higher self. Also, you are flowing in an ocean of mystery, waiting to reach the land of answers. Keep your head up; you might pass it by mistake.

And your card that represents the future is: The Lovers. You will meet someone you wished for a long time. You'll feel like you knew her way before actually meeting. That is the special bond only few people get to experiment. All your answers will come through her…It's the woman I mentioned…I think"

"Really interesting. Tis true what you said about the present, but the rest is yet to know. How did you figure out I have amnesia?" I said. "I have already answered you. Can't recall? Now then, the session is over, please leave. I have other customers yet to come" she answered.

"Wait. You haven't told me your name". "My stage name is Madame Mystique…and my real name is…Ana Rai. Now please go! I won't charge you, just leave!" She said with an upset figure. "Why was she so startled?" I thought while exiting her tent, then remembered where I was supposed to go: to that circus, "Good thing Bruce told me where it is".

"Library…library...hm, where is it?" I was whispering to myself while walking around the town. Luckily for me, I bumped into a child that was playing with his friends. When asking him where the library was, he pointed to a building behind me. As a reward, I offered him an apple from my bag and went towards the place. It was really big; "No wonder Bruce told me I couldn't miss it".

"Ok, now that I'm here I should start exploring its nearby structures. The circus must be somewhere around here". After walking for a minute, suddenly I heard a shouting from my right. When turning to see who it was I spotted them; they waited for me at the entrance of the circus. "Those guys…and woman".

(Afterwards, they all went in the yard, where the whole crew was preparing for that night's show. There were 2 clowns costumed differently from one another practicing a scene involving a pie and a mono-cycle. I'll let your imagination go on that part. Right next to them was a solid bald man with a Selleck moustache lifting some weights. Now, we can't ignore the trained animals, trapped in cages - lions, seals, elephants, you name them. They were placed close to the big tent where the performers would do their show. Inside, you could hear a manly voice that was rehearsing the lines best fit to capture the crowd's attention. He was the ringleader and the owner of the circus)

We passed by two clowns. One of them had his whole face painted in white, with red triangles on his cheeks and large red lips. He was dressed in white clothes with extravagant features such as the ruffled collar and the pointed hat. The other one had a white muzzle and eyes. He was wearing an oversized costume with bold colors. They both stopped their practice and greeted us.

"Hey Bruce, Johnny, Cinth. The boss is waiting for you in the tent" said one of them, "I see you made it. We were starting to get worried. And whom might this be about?" Continued the other clown.

"Hey guys. This gentleman right here is someone we met while our car broke and let us stay at his place." Responded Hyacinth. "Well, it's good to see chivalry is not dead yet. Thank you for helping my friends. My name is Mongo" Said one clown. "And I'm Bongo! Pleasure to meet you" interviened the other one. "And who might you be, stranger?" asked Mongo. "I-I don't know…". "I-don't-know? That's an unusual name" Said Mongo in an amused tone. "And is Know your first or second name?"

"Hey! Don't be rude! It's not his fault he has amnesia." Responded hastly Hyacinth. "Oh my…sorry. I thought he was just being shy for talking with a clown, so I wanted to put a smile on his face". "…Firstly, I think you should apologize to me. Secondly, don't worry...no offence taken. It was pretty funny". "Yes, you're right…sorry" He replied.

"We should go, after all, you mentioned the boss is waiting for us" Said Bruce. We gave Mongo and Bongo a "Goodbye and see you later" and carried on with our walk. When we entered the tent I saw a man standing in the center repeating some lines. "…We have for you enter…" He stopped when he saw us. "Finally! What took you so long? I was starting to think I need replacements"

"Sorry, boss. Our car broke and this man was kind enough to let us stay at his place 'till we repaired it." Responded Hyacinth. "I don't mean to be rude, but why did you take him with you?". "You see, this man has amnesia. He can't even recall his name. The only thing he remembers is a woman. And we thought we could help him find that woman through our circus." She argumented.

"Um…Again, not trying to be rude, but I'm not accepting any amateur come with us. Can you perform something spectacular enough to stay?". "N-No, sir…I don't think so…" I responded. "Oh come on, boss! Can't we find something else he can do? Please" She said that as she placed her palms one against the other. "Well...our animal caretaker took a medical vacation yesterday…are you good with animals?". "Yes, sir. I like animals and can surely take care of yours". He thought about it for a few seconds, then turned his head towards Hyacinth who was still holding her hands, then said "Ok, fine. You can start working here. But only until our animal caretaker comes back".

"Thank you, sir". "Yes! Thank you, boss. You won't regret it" She said. "You're lucky Cinth here is good at manipulating people. Heck, she could be a lawyer with such 'talent' " He said towards me. "That means to give up what I like doing and brake up my relations with everyone here so I'll pass." Said Hyacinth smiling.

"Now then, you three better go practice your parts. The show starts tonight! Here's how it will go: I'll do the opening speech and a short introduction for each one of you. The first act will be Johnny, juggling with colorful balls, Bruno(The solid man) will come from behind and lift him while doing his thing and place him near the caged lions. "Unfortunately" the cage is open and he's in danger. That's where Bruce steps in. You will save him by taming the animals .In the meantime, Bruno makes an exit before they can get him". "That sounds great, sir" I briefly interrupted him"…Sorry, do continue". "As I was saying…Bruce saves Johnny…then comes the second act: Mongo and Bongo will do their comedy scene with whatever funny thing comes in their minds. I'll let them do as they please since they always make the audience laugh. On the third and final act, Cinth will do a few demonstrations of acrobatics. Near the end we all approach the stage and greet the crowd. I will thank them for coming and wish them a good day. That's it!"

"Hm I like it" Said Bruce. "Yes! It sounds really good. You thought this very well, boss." Replied Hyacinth with enthusiasm. "I'd appreciate it more if you would go and practice. This must be flawless!"

(Time passed and each crew member grew more and more anxious for the show to start. When the clock struck 8 o'clock, people started to enter the tent, each person with a ticket in their hand. It took ten minutes for everyone to have their tickets checked, to enter and sit inside. It was Showtime)

The ringleader walked to the center and gave his speech. "Ladies and gentlemen! We have for you entertainment of the most marvelous of sorts! Today, we will do all we can to bring joy and happiness on your faces. Therefore, I suggest you sit back and watch. Let the show begin!"

The first act went on really well, I was surprised to see Johnny juggle with such ease while being carried and Bruce had that heroic attitude. "Phew, that was close. Good thing that guy came in and saved the poor child. Yet we just started…." Said the ringleader. Right then, Mongo and Bongo rushed towards the stage from two different directions and bumped into each other, then they got up and shook hands. Afterwards, they chased each other, Bongo fell on a pie at some point and Mongo got mad at him for ruining it. He pulled Bongo by his fake nose, then they ran away from the stage the same way they came and that was it. The act was pretty funny overall.

"Now that was hilarious, right? Well then, are you ready for some grace?"That was the sign for Hyacinth to enter, but not on the stage. She went flying ,from a higher level that was prepared for her, holding onto something. She had balance, agility and "grace". It was amazing. At the end, she fell towards the stage only to be caught by Bruce, who was standing among the rest of the crew members. Everyone greeted the audience and took a bow. "Ladies and gentlemen! We would like to thank you for coming and I hope you had a great time. Unfortunately our show is over…but don't be sad, we will be back some other time with more! Until then!" Said the ringleader smiling.

Afterwards, I went to feed the animals. While doing so I watched the people leave happy. It was such a nice atmosphere…hoping to spot that woman in the crowd, man after man, woman after woman and child after child left, but no sign of her…Even though I was a little upset, the thought of visiting other towns where she might be cheered me up.

(And so he started his small journey from city to city. Each show was better than the previous. The owner was creative, implementing new ways of entertainment never seen until then. Yet the woman never appeared in the audience, she didn't come to one show. "Maybe next time" was his thought to keep hope. The original animal caretaker returned from his medical vacation that lasted 2 weeks.

The amnesiac had to stop going with the circus. He was left in a town unknown to him, with just the squirrel and one bag containing two apples, clothes, the silver plate and a bouquet of roses.) "Well…I guess this was it…My chance faded away…now what?" (He asked himself rhetorically. "You ought to go to the next town, stranger" He heard from behind him. The man thought the voice was familiar but couldn't remember the face, so he turned to see who it was)

"Oh! Tis you…Ana…" He said somewhat surprised. "What are you doing here?". "That's none of our business. Just follow my advice. If you go on that path, you'll be there by tomorrow." She responded. "B-but why? It makes no difference to me if I stay here or somewhere else because I know no one." I replied. "…Just trust me" She said, then left without saying any more. "Well…that was unusual….Think I'll go, after all I have nothing to lose" (The man went on the path showed to him curious of what he'd find in the next town.


	4. Chapter Three - The Meeting

**_Be this thy constant Aim_**

 ** _To take a shot at the memory game_**

 ** _Awaken from the state he slept_**

 ** _By the answers of which it kept_**

(It took him a whole day, but he made it in the town. Nothing was unusual compared to the other ones. There were just people walking, children playing, some stores were open and displayed goods. The squirrel climbed in a tree right next to one of them and didn't come back. But he didn't care, he was too preoccupied with finding what was there.)

"Ok, I'm here. I did what you wanted, Ana. Now what?!" (He asked rhetorically, unsatisfied of the sight, followed by him taking a walk through the town)

Going past a playground, suddenly an image of three children (two boys and one girl) playing so happily, like there was no such thing as time or space, came in my mind. The visualization caused me to feel…nostalgia."Is this my childhood?" was the first thought I had. One of the boys turned his head to greet an older woman…It was me! "Ari, it's lunch time! Come come, you can play as much as you want after." Said the woman.

"Ok, mom." responded the little girl, then turned around "I got to go, see you later." and ran towards the woman. When seeing her, I recognized the face immediately. It was Ariana, as a child. "Then the woman must be her mother," followed in my mind. "Sean…Sean…" said the boy that was standing next to my younger self. "I must leave… promised my dad I'll help him fix the T.V. Catch you later?"

"Yes, sure!" I responded. He then left and I sat there alone for a few seconds. When the visualization was over, I started remembering some things. This was the town in which I spent my childhood; those two were my friends…Ariana and Chuck…my name is Sean Aim…

(The amnesiac was then attacked by a feeling of grief, he started recollecting memories of his parents. His mother died in a car accident when she went visiting an old friend from high school. The driver was drunk and tried to end his days, but failed miserably by spilling the blood of two innocent people on his hands. He then served life sentence in jail. His father hung himself one month later on her birthday. Sean lived alone ever since)

"I b-better keep on going…damn…No. I-I can't cry. Not now…Got to keep my head up." I said to myself as I started to move.

After a few minutes of walking I turned back to my normal self, less crying self. Passing by Chuck's old house, I found myself standing in front of her…Ariana. She was there with her arms open, waiting for me to come. I rushed towards and gave embraced her. The perfume she was wearing had such a nice smell and her hair was soft.

"Hey, darling. How was it at the castle?" She asked while still holding me in her arms.

"How did you know I stayed in a castle?" I quickly replied, pulling backwards out of her comfort to give her a questioning look.

"Honey, are you making fun of me?"

"N-no…I'm sorry…One day I woke up and forgot everything and everyone. Somehow I got amnesia…If that sounds believable."

"Hm, sounds interesting. Let's talk somewhere more private, like my place." she said smiling, then grabbed my hand and dragged me with her.

(Ariana took Sean to her old house, where she lived in with her parents. She sat him down in the living room and went to the kitchen to grab some juice. In the meantime, Sean looked around the room and saw pictures of her parents, her grandparents…and one with both of them. He was wearing a tuxedo and she was in her wedding dress. The picture was taken on their wedding day. They looked very happy)

She came in the room and handed me a glass of juice. "Here, darling. You must be thirsty. Drink." she looked at me with a warm smile. I thanked her and took a sip of the cold beverage.

"This sounds weird…but could you tell me who I am?"

"You are Sean. We are childhood friends, oh and Chuck. Almost forgot him. Um…We all grew up here…You became a writer, a really good one. After some time, you proposed to me, and I obviously said yes. We are married for a little over a year…This reminds me, when you went to stay in the castle, you forgot your wedding ring home. I should give it to you once we get there."

I interrupted her briefly. "Wait. Why did I go in that castle?"

"Oh…Well you see, Chuck was always good at bargaining and worked at a store for some time. He became a salesman…His passion for the Medieval Era made him buy a castle and restore it as best as he could. Sometimes he uses it as a 'vacation house' for him and his guests. A month ago, you asked him if he could let you stay in there for a while, as inspiration for your next book"

"And I assume he said yes?"

"Of course, he can't say no to you." She responded slightly amused.

"Oh, almost forgot…I believe this belongs to you." I took out the silver plate engraved with her name from my bag and gave it to her. "This…this is from my bracelet. Thought I lost it. Where did you find it?"

"Long story…I found it in the castle, a squirrel had it stuck in her tail. That's when my first memory came back…the one of you." I responded.

"Aw, that's so romantic!" (She approached him and kissed his forehead) "Thank you, dear."

"You know, this is actually my parents' house. They are in a vacation at Paris. I come here every few days to take care of it…What a coincidence to bump into you on this day."

"…But how did she know? Damn, that woman can be so enigmatic!"

"What woman? What are you talking about?" She asked with a worried look on her face, her eyebrows scrunched in and a small frown formed on her lovely face.

"There was this fortune teller I met in a town, she knew I was in search of you. She read my past, present, and future with Tarot cards. Afterwards, in about two weeks, when I was ready to give up on my "journey" she suddenly appeared behind me telling things like 'Go to the next town,' and 'Trust me,'. She seemed pretty serious."

"Hm... interesting. Was she pretty?" (She asked rhetorically to make fun of him. He actually responded)

"She was in her 60's, I think. Her hair was grey and her eyes had different colors. One was brown and the other was green. She had a pretty well shaped face."

"Ok….Honey, I was kidding…Maybe we should go for a walk to freshen your mind,"

"Yes…That sounds nice"

"Oh! I have an even better idea. I'll call Chuck. If I remember correctly, this week is his break from job. We could stay at his castle. Just the three of us…like old times." She scurried around, searching for the phone.

"Whatever you say…Ariana."

"Hm? What's with that face? Did something happen?"

"N-nothing nothing." (Sean remembered the corpses found in the dungeon and wondered why he was keeping the bodies, or even if it was his doing.

The couple went to the castle where they were greeted by their childhood friend. The trio went inside and sat in the Great Hall to catch up with one another) "How are you, Chuck? How's your business going?" Asked Ariana.

"It's fine, it's fine…but I'm not here to talk about that. This is my place of relaxation after all." He answered.

"You're right, sorry. The what do you want to talk about?"

"How was your staying here, Sean? Did you like it?"

"Um, it was ok, I guess,"

"Hm? What? Don't tell me you don't like this." Chuck spread his arms open wide and motioned to the whole castle.

"Don't mind him, Chuck. He got amnesia while staying here and was a little confused since then. Heck, he was acting a little strange before we got here." she interfered.

"Actually… There's something bothering me about this place," I interrupted her.

"Well? What is it?" He asked me curiously.

"It's the two bodies you have in the dungeon! Why are those there? How did they end up like that?" I shouted. He stood silent for a few seconds, surprised by my loud questioning, then started laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked irritated.

"W-What bodies? What's going on?" Ariana was a bit scared to hear my sayings.

"Nothing to worry about my friends. Come, I will show you….Can't believe you found it. I was saving this for Halloween, but whatever!"

(Chuck took the candelabrum Sean once pulled and like then, the secret entrance was revealed. He went in first and the other two came right after. Ariana, feeling uncomfortable, was holding onto Sean's shirt. The place was pretty scary for those unprepared. They arrived at the problematic cellar after a few steps.)

"There they are!" I shouted. "Don't tell me you tortured them!"

"Ha ha good one! Dear friend, you clearly hit your head or something. These are just dummies I ordered to be made. I thought it could add more originality to the castle. Also, can you imagine what show I can pull off during Halloween? Ha ha!" He replied with a smile, then approached one of the bodies and raised one of their hands. "If you come closer, you'll see right here. It's written "Made in China". As realistic as they seem, I don't think a Chinese fellow would murder someone and send him over here. Could you?"

I went closer to see if what he said was true, and indeed it was."Yes, I see…Sorry for jumping to conclusions."

"No problem, buddy. I'm sure anyone would have thought the same."

"Ok, guys…I really don't like this place, can we leave now?" Asked Ariana. "Sure sure. Hey, do you want to go to the balcony? The sight is amazing!" He answered with great enthusiasm.

"Anywhere is fine by me as long as it isn't here."

(Things seemed pretty normal afterwards. They had a nice view from the balcony, they played some society games and listened to the history of the castle. It was pretty interesting. The trio went eventually in bed as night came. The next morning a knocking was heard at the entrance door. Chuck went to see who it was.)

"Excuse me for waking you so early, sir. I have a letter for Mr. Sean Aim. The woman who sent me told me he'd be here." The man held out the letter to him and motioned him to take it.

"Yes, indeed. He is here. I will give him the letter, but from whom might it be?"

"She didn't mention her name, and it isn't written on the letter. She told me that he will figure it out."

"Hm, interesting…Well then, thank you for the letter and have a nice day!"

"You too sir, and sorry again for the intrusion." Said the man, then left.

"Yo Sean! Wake up, sleepyhead. Some guy came a few minutes ago with a letter for you." Chuck shook Sean awake before shoving the white envelope in his face.

"Uh…What?...A letter?...For me?...From who?" I mumbled, still feeling sleepy.

"He told me a woman sent it and that you'll know who." While he was talking I tried to rub the sleepiness out of my eyes with the back of my hands.

I opened it. "What? No way! Why?What?" I said surprised. My voice woke up Ariana by mistake.

"Aw, what's with all the noise?" She grumbled.

"Sean here got a letter from some woman. What's it say, buddy?" Replied Chuck. "Tis..her…It was her…the fortuneteller, Ana Rai…".

"Hm, what's with the fortuneteller?" Ariana was worried of my reaction. "She sent me this letter…This farewell letter. According to it she died yesterday. "

"Wait what? Why did she wrote it to you? Didn't you tell me you barely knew her? And how did she knew you'd be here?" Question after question was asked, some out loud, and others to themselves.

"I-I don't know…And she left me her diary. It says here I have to go to her place to pick it up. Her address is typed at the end."

(The fog of uncertainty and mystery went down on all three. Sean and Ariana stayed for a couple of hours more and prepared themselves for the travel. She couldn't allow her husband to go alone again. She felt that if he left like before, something bad would happen.)

"Sorry we couldn't stay more, Chuck." I said.

"No problem, no problem. Hey, give me a call after you get some answers, this whole thing is weird. I'm really curious of the outcome." Said Chuck.

"Of course. Well, then…see you!" She said. "Goodbye." I said, then shook hands and we left, wondering what was in store for us.


	5. Chapter Four - Nevermore

**_Be that word their sign of parting_**

 ** _For came time to say: Departing_**

 ** _A mystery it all persist to be_**

 ** _What will happen next to thee?_**

(Sean and Ariana travelled where the address on the letter took them to. They continued their walk until night fell. Luckily soon after, they found a motel to stay at. Once rested, they should resume the walk.)

"This room is really nice don't you think, honey?"

"Yes. However, it's still bugging me, you know? That woman Ana Rai..."

"Don't worry so much, darling. Tomorrow we will find out. The town is nearby, remember? We asked the owner." She said hugging me from behind and resting her head on my neck.

"Yeah, you're right...It feels good to be in your warm embrace again, dear."

"Can we stay like this for a while then? It's been so long since we last spent this sort of time together...I missed you."

"I-I'm sorry I can't say the same. Until we met, I didn't knew who you were...all thanks to that damned amnesia."

"It's ok, darling. I understand what you've been through."

(Silence spread between the two. They neither moved nor talked, being occupied with enjoying their moment of togetherness. It was only after several minutes that Sean spoke, and broke the comforting silence.)

"Dear, I really hate saying this...But don't you want to go rest? It's getting late, we don't want to be tired tomorrow while we head for the town."

"Ok, darling. We didn't get the chance at the castle so...do you want to sleep together?" She asked me enthusiastically.

"S-sure, if you want to." I answered in a shy tone.

She stood on her toes and kissed my cheek, then proceeded to grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the bed (Having only two small beds, they placed them together). "Let's not waste this beautiful night, honey."

(They slept holding hands, and stayed as until morning. When Sean opened his eyes, he saw her giving him a look that gave him comfort and joy. He thought that he was lucky to have Ariana as his wife. If only he knew what was to happen.) We left the first thing in the morning. I felt eager to get that diary and happy that Ariana was there with me. I did't think anyone else would be a better companion at that time. We arrived in the town at noon. It was strange because no one was outside and I couldn't see any people throughout the windows of the houses. I checked to see if we were at the right place, and confirmed it in a few seconds, see as there was a sign with the town name on it. All that remained to do was go to the house with the respective address. We found it to be the last one at the end of the town.

(The building had two floors connected to each other through a staircase. There were two big rooms with barely any furniture and a restroom on the first one. On the second level were three smaller rooms fairly decorated.) Deciding to split so we could cover more ground, I took the first floor and Ariana the second.

I searched the floor, It's hallways and rooms, But found nothing. "Hopefully, she has more luck than me." I said to myself out loud.

As if she heard me, I soon heard, her shout from above, "Honey, found it!"

"Good job dear! I'm coming to see it." I responded and started to walk up the staircase. Not one step was made before she released a scream. Alerted by the sound, I rushed towards where I heard it and checked the room. Ariana was in none of them and the diary was placed open upside down on the floor.

"Um, dear, if this is a prank, I-I admit you scared me, come out now..." I said , but got no response.

"Guess she'll come out when she gets bored. Anyways..." I picked up the diary to see its content. Some pages were torn and I could only understand a few passages.

'He was lonely, so every time we were together he did all he could to make it pleasurable. Heck, he was such a good storyteller! Sometimes, he would come up with his own stories when he ran out of already known ones. Without surprise, he became a writer.' I flipped to another page where only some was understandable, 'This is the best day of my life! He proposed to me! To me! I'm so happy!"(A smiley face was drawn next to it with lots of hearts), 'I gave him a fake name so he wouldn't find out...I feel so bad for doing it, but I had no choice', and on a half torn sheet close to the end were the words 'Mr Jones used me.'

Between two pages of the diary was a drawing. When I took it out I saw-

(Sean suddenly got hit in the head from behind with something hard. Soon after, he regained consciousness, spread out on his bed...in that same room he initially woke up in, but this time he had the drawing in his hand)

"W-Where am I? Why does my head hurt?" (He sat a few seconds silent.)

"Who am I? And what's with this paper I'm holding?" (Once looking at it, he saw half of a woman he thought was familiar. Slowly the word "Ariana" came to his mind, but the woman on the other half remained unknown, like the rest of his memory)


End file.
